Blog of Aestheticized Violence.
Cornell University, Classes: One Girl in All the World and American Flow

Monday, September 5, 2011

Since most everyone else who has posted before me seemed to focus on sexuality, I decided to stick with that theme but focus it more. I thought of the least sexual super heroine we've discussed, Mary Marvel. The first issue about her that I read during class was from 1945. My goal was to see if she has become more sexualized in the following issues. Between 1945 and 1948, there were only 28 issues about her. Though I couldn't read through every issue, from looking at the covers (which you can see at this website: http://www.comicvine.com/mary-marvel/49-25309/?) it seemed liked the writers kept her character basically the same for those three years. Her outfit remained as conservative, her poses very nonsexual. I began to wonder if when they redid her, how much she changed then. I learned that she reappeared in The Power of Shazam! series from 1994 to 1999. There were a few changes made to her. First, her outfit changed from red to white (new outfit seen here: http://images.wikia.com/marvel_dc/images/5/5b/Mary_Marvel.jpg), but other than the color change, the outfit remained fairly conservative and she still remained very nonsexualize. Second, instead of transforming basically from a 12 year old to a 14 year old, she now transforms into a full-grown woman. But even with these changes, Mary Marvel still remains one of the least sexualized female superheroes. Is that why she isn't as famous as Wonder Woman? Or why her comics only last for a few years at a time? Is sexuality that important in selling comics about female superheroes?

4 comments:

I find comfort in the fact that Mary Marvel isn't sexualized and doesn't evolve into a sexual icon because, after all, she is 12 years old according to the plot of the comic. I don't think a skimpier outfit, revealing more legs, breasts, and butt would be appropriate or realistic, given her age, and I don't think it would've made her a more celebrated heroine. I think Mary Marvel's comic isn't as acclaimed or as timeless as Wonder Woman's simply because she just isn't as cool. Let's be real, my 10 year old self wouldn't want to look up to a 12 year old girl whose main super power is transforming herself into a 14 year old. I was too good for that!

I think it's nice that there is at least one superheroine who isn't sexualized, but I find it upsetting that she isn't as well known. Although her powers aren't incredible, she could still be looked to as a role model, as someone who saves the day. You asked if that because she is one of the least sexualized female superheroes is why she isn't as famous as Wonder Woman. I definitely think that it is at least a contributing factor.

It is so unfortunate that Mary Marvel's success is likely paralleled with her lack of sexual appeal, but still not very surprising. However I agree with Alexon too, in the sense that in addition to Mary Marvel's lack of sex appeal, she does not have extremely exciting stories or characteristics. Maybe if she had awesome powers or much more exciting story lines, the fact that she was clothed would not have had such an impact on its success. Your question about sexuality being that important in selling superheroine comics is so true. A huge portion of comic book readers are male, and while publishers care about quality, they mainly care about making a significant profit.

I agree with Alexon's comment that Mary Marvel didn't have as much success because she isn't as cool. I'm not sure if girls read comic books as much as boys did in the 1940s, but I think that if you are an adolescent boy and you have the choice between Wonder Woman's adventures and Mary Marvel's adventures (and outfits), one would pick Wonder Woman. Mary Marvel fights old guys that trick her way too easily. Wonder Woman seems a lot more interesting and exciting.